Expansion support for locomotive crosshead guides



July 19, 1932. J. G. BLUNT 1,868,157 I EXPANSION SUPPORT FOR LOCOMOTIVE CROSSHEAD GUIDES I Filed Ju1y 28, 192a -FIG-3:

' ITNESSES more I .WMLZF Patented July 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

JAMES G. BLUNT, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO JAMES W. HIGHLEYMAN, OF POCATELLO, IDAHO EXPANSION SUPPORT FOR LOCOMOTIVE CROSSHEAJ) GUIDES Application filed July 28,

This invention relates, generally, to the crosshead guides of steam locomotives, and particularly to supports for the front ends of said guides. The object of the invention is to provide simple and effective means, readily adaptable in present standard practice, for supporting the front ends of the guides in such manner as to permit freedom of longitudinal movement, under the action of heat to which they are subjected in operation.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

\ In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1, is a side view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a part of the forward portion of a locomotive, illustrating an'embodiment of the invention; Fi 2, a view in elevation, and on an enlarge scale, of the rear cylinder head, with the crosshead guides shown in section; Fig. 3,.a fragmental vertical section on the line a, a, of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a fragmental horizontal transverse section, on the line b, b, of Fig. 3, and; Fig. 5, a view partly in section and partly in elevation, of a portion of the rear cylinder head, showing a structural modification.

In the practice of the invention,referring descriptively to the embodiments thereof which is herein exemplified, and first to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, 'of the drawings, the

rear head, 1, of the cylinder, 6, is formed with brackets, 1a and 1b, which project lon- 'tudinally from the head. The outer suraces of said brackets, form seats for the front ends of the cross head guides,,3 and 4. These seats are located on the outer sides of the brackets, in order that the guides may be secured thereto for adjustment in a direc tion radial to the axial line of the cylinder, to take up wear between the crossheads and the guides. For this purpose, shims, 1c and 1d, may be interposed between the seats and the ad oining ends of the guides. The upper bracket, 1a, is of channel section, having 1928. Serial Iil'o 295,956.

flanges, 16, on the sides of the channel, which act to maintain the guides in lateral alignment. The upper guide, 3, is clamped to the bracket, 1a, by a washer plate, 7 and vertical bolts, 8, the adjustment of which is such as to permit the guide to move longitudinally, but not vertically, relatively to the cylinder. The lower bracket, 1b, is shown as of the ordinary construction, but may, if preferred, be similar to the upper one, above described.

Fig. 5, shows a structural modification, in which side flanges, 9a, are formed on the body of a washer plate, 9, of channel section, instead of on the bracket, 1a, as first described of which form, the construction of Fig. 5,;constitutes the mechanical equivalent, the same result being attained by the change of location of the side flanges.

The bracket, 5a, which supports the rea end of the guides, is secured to, or integral I with, the transverse guide brace, 5-, which extends transversely from one to the other of the side members, 10, which constitute the frame structure of the locomotive, and, with said guide brace, is rigidly connected to the locomotive frame structure, as is also the cylinder,'6. The expansion of the cylinder and guide, causediby the heat developed by the operation of the locomotive, causes the portion of the guide connected to the bracket, 5a, to move rearwardly relatively to said bracket, thereby tending-to shear the bolts connecting the guide to the bracket, 5a, and the bracket, 1a, of the cylinder head. If both ends of the upper guide are rigidly bolted to the supporting brackets, the induced stress is localized in t e bolts, and tends to cause their failure. The present invention avoids this tendency, by providing for freedom of longitudinal movement of the guide relative to the cylinder. By reason of the comparative elasticity of the bracket, 5a, the objection noted is not developed to a substantial extent at the lower guide, but if desired, the connection of said guide to the cylinder head, may be 'made in the manner fining said forward end against vertical movement relative to said means.

2. In a steam locomotive, the combination of a frame structure; a crosshead guide, supported thereon, rigidly at its rear end; means supporting the guide at its forward end for free longitudinal sliding movement of the guide at said forward end, said means confining said forward end against vertical movement relative to said means and means for effecting vertical adjustment of the crosshead guide;

3. In a steam locomotive, the combination of a rear cylinder head; a crosshead guide extending rearwardly therefrom; a bracket, rigidly supporting the rear end of said guide; and means for connecting the forward end of said guide 'to the cylinder head, for free longitudinal sliding movement of the guide at said forward end, said means confining said forward end against vertical movement relative to said means.

4. In a steam locomotive, the combination of a rear cylinder head; a crosshead guide, extending rearwardly therefrom; a bracket, of channel section, fixed on the cylinder head, in the recess of which the ide is seated; a plate, fitting over the guid e and bolts se curing said plate to the cylinder head bracket, said guide being supported between said bracket and plate for free longitudinal movev ment, and confined against vertical movement relative to said bracket.

5: In a steam locomotive, the combination of a rear cylinder head; a crosshead guide,

extending rearwardly therefrom; a bracket supporting the rear end of said guide; a bracket, fixed on the cylinder head; a plate, fitting over the guide. and over a space'in said cylinder head bracket in which the guide is seated; and bolts, securing said plate to the cylinder head bracket, said guide being supported between said bracket and plate for free longitudinal movement and confined against vertical movement relative to said cylinder head bracket.

6. In a steam locomotive, the combination of a frame structure; a crosshead guide, supported thereon rigidly at its rear end; means supporting the guide at its forward end for free longitudinal sliding movement of the guide at said forward end, said means confining said forward end against vertlcal movement relative to said means; and a crosshead guide supported rigidly at both of its ends.

7 In a steam locomotive, the combination of a crosshead guide; means for securing the crosshead guide at one of its ends; and means for securing the crosshead guide at its opposite end, one of said securing means being adapted to hold the end of the crosshead guide attached thereto against vertical movement in either direction, but to permit such end to slide relatively thereto.

8. In a steam locomotive, the combination of a crosshead guide; means for ri idly securing the crosshead guide at one of its ends;

and means for securing the crosshead guide at its opposite end, said last mentioned means being adapted to hold the end of the crosshead guide attached thereto a ainst vertical movement in either directionjlmt to permit the crosshead guide to slide relatively thereto to compensate for expansion and contraction.

9. In a steam locomotive, the combination of a crosshead guide comprlsing two parallel guide bars; a frame structure; a bracket rigidly secured to the frame structure and to the two guide bars at their rear ends; and means supporting the two guide bars at their forward ends, the forward end of one of the guide bars being rigidly secured to said means and the forward end of the other guide bar being attached to said means for free longitudinal sliding movement of said bar at its forward end to compensate, for expansion and contraction, said means confining said forward ends against vertical movement ly securing the bottom crosshead guide at its forward end; a top crosshead guide rigidly secured at its rear end to the secured end of the bracket; and means supporting the for.- ward end of said top crosshead guide, said top crosshead guide being supported by said last mentioned means for free longitudinal movement of said forward end and confined against vertical movement relative to said means. I

11. In a locomotive, the combination of a frame; a crosshead guide; a crosshead in operable sliding relation with the guide and extending downwardly therefrom; means securing the crosshead guide at one of its ends to the frame; and meanssecuring the crosshead guide at its opposite end, said guide being secured by one of said means for free longitudinal movement of the end se-' no t ports therefor; a ide bar for the crosshea and a connection tween at least one end'o ing, in combination, suitable fixed end sugsuch guide bar and its su port, said guide bar being'movable relative y to said suppprt under expansion and contraction of the ar 13. A guide for engine crossheads, comprising an upper and a lower ide bar; fixed supports for opposite ends 0 said bars; and

expansion joints at at least one end of said bars, said guide bars being movable relatively to said supports to compensate for expansion and contraction of the bars or of the body carrying said supports.

JAMES G. BLUNT. 

